Nancy C. Sprague

Nancy Coates Sprague, 90, died Saturday at Bayview at Scalabrini after a brief illness.  Born in Bridgeport CT. on July 14, 1933 she was the daughter of the late Clarence W Coates Sr. and Blanche Coates (Desrosiers), and sister to the late C William Coates Jr.  Nancy’s husband George T Sprague pre-deceased her in April 2018.  Her father was a textile (lace) designer, and when Nancy was a young girl her family relocated to the Pawtuxet Valley and settled in Arctic.  Nancy was a 1951 graduate of West Warwick High School and a 1953 graduate of the Katherine Gibbs School, where she received an AA in Secretarial Sciences.  She held numerous executive assistant positions in her long career including Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Chemistry Department, Brown University; Executive Assistant (purchasing) at the Naval Exchange, Davisville; Executive Assistant (superintendent) Warwick School Department; and Executive Assistant to the Planning Manager, Town of South Kingstown.  A master of shorthand, Nancy was never far from a steno pad, which she continued to use well into her 80’s!

Nancy met her husband George at Riverpoint Congregational Church where they were members of the choir: they married in August 1955, and had three children.  A devoted mother and homemaker, she put her career aside for many years to raise their family.  They settled in Wickford and in 1983 moved to Narragansett.  Over the years Nancy and George were active members of several local churches including Allentown Baptist Church, Wickford Baptist Church, Peacedale Congregational Church, and Central Baptist Church Jamestown, where she was often a soloist or featured pianist.  A lifetime lover of music and theatre with her husband, they were season ticket holders at Trinity Rep and Theatre by the Sea.

In retirement, Nancy loved nothing more than visiting her children, grandchildren, and the grand dogs, traveling frequently to Virginia, Long Island, and to nearby Chepachet.  Always up to be out and socializing, Nancy was active in her local PEO chapter holding the office of Secretary, and loved being part of the Wakefield Panera Girls coffee group for many years.  She was also a lifetime member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and a past docent at Smith’s Castle.

Nancy is survived by her son Kim Sprague and his husband Ruben Flores, East Setauket, NY; daughter Bonnie Ashworth, Chepachet, RI; daughter Heather Jackson and her husband Patrick, Chesapeake, VA; grandchildren Kyle Ashworth and his partner Chelsea Brown, Waltham, MA; Joseph Jackson and his wife Carlene, Portland, OR; Benjamin Jackson and his wife Stephanie Werning, Silver Springs, MD. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Private funeral services will be held for Nancy.  In lieu of the flowers, donations can be made in her memory to: Harmony Hospice – 931 Jefferson Blvd. Suite 3004, Warwick, RI  02886.